Interval Timer vs Fartlek
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
Interval Timer
Organize your running and high-intensity interval training sessions with ease. Quickly set up custom time intervals for running, walking, warm-ups, and cool-downs. Receive voice and vibration notifications for interval changes, and enjoy background music playback.
- Intuitive design
- Customizable time intervals
- Warm-up and cool-down timers
- Voice and vibration notifications
- Background music support
- Foreground/background operation
Read full descriptionHide full description
Interval Run is a running interval timer for iPhone and Apple Watch. Create run/walk intervals, sprint sessions, and HIIT workouts in seconds. Train with voice announcements and haptic cues, control workouts from Apple Watch, save sessions to Apple Health, and track your workout history. Choose from 25+ ready-made running workouts or build your own. Follow intervals from the Lock Screen and Dynamic Island, and focus on your run. 25+ READY-MADE RUNNING WORKOUTS • Explore run/walk workouts, running intervals, sprints, hill repeats, tempo runs, fartlek sessions, ladders, pyramids, and more • Find workouts for speed, endurance, recovery, and different training goals • Start any workout immediately or customize it to match your training • Save your favorites to My Workouts for quick access BUILD YOUR OWN INTERVAL WORKOUT • Create simple run/walk intervals or advanced multi-step workouts • Add warm-up, running, walking, recovery, rest, and cool-down sections • Set a custom duration for every step • Repeat intervals and complete workout blocks • Add custom cues to guide you through each workout step • Build sprint, HIIT, cardio, and structured running sessions • Save multiple workouts and reuse them anytime • Preview the complete workout before you start VOICE & HAPTIC INTERVAL CUES • Hear clear voice announcements at every interval transition • Feel haptic cues when it’s time to run, walk, recover, or rest • Keep your workout active while your iPhone is locked or the app is in the background • Follow your current interval from the Lock Screen and Dynamic Island with Live Activities • Listen to music, podcasts, or audiobooks while you train RUN WITH APPLE WATCH • Sync workouts to Apple Watch • Start, pause, and control workouts directly from your wrist • Run phone-free with your workouts ready on Apple Watch • Follow interval progress without repeatedly checking your phone • Track heart rate, distance, and active energy during your workout • Get haptic interval cues directly on your Watch • Save completed workouts to Apple Health TRACK YOUR TRAINING • Browse completed workouts in calendar and history views • Review workout duration, intervals, distance, and active energy • Look back at your running and interval training over time • Share your workout results • Export and restore backups of your workout data MADE FOR RUNNERS WHO TRAIN WITH INTERVALS Whether you’re starting with beginner run/walk intervals, adding speed work to your weekly training, preparing for a 5K or another race, or creating a challenging HIIT session, Interval Run keeps every interval clear from start to finish. Use it as a simple run/walk timer, a running interval timer for speed training, an Apple Watch interval timer for phone-free workouts, or a flexible workout builder for more advanced structured sessions. From beginner run/walk workouts to sprints, tempo runs, hill repeats, fartlek training, and custom multi-step sessions, Interval Run adapts to the way you train. Start with one of 25+ ready-made workouts or create your own. Interval Run handles the timing so you can focus on your training. Some features shown, including the full workout library, advanced workout creation, multiple saved workouts, and full workout history, require Interval Run Pro. Terms of Use: https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/
Fartlek
Read full descriptionHide full description
Tell your AI coach your goal and the days you can run, and get a training plan that adapts every week to how your runs go. Need a single workout? Describe it or paste a screenshot, and it's ready in seconds. Then just run: voice and haptic cues guide every interval, even with your screen off. 25 workouts runners actually love — HIIT, fartlek, tempo, hills, Yasso 800s. On iPhone and Apple Watch. Because running the same pace every day only makes you better at running the same pace. Break the plateau. EVERY RUN IS A NEW CHALLENGE Every workout here has a specific goal and a different feel — so you actually train different muscles, systems, and skills instead of just logging miles. Your running workout is fun now :) Speed: 200m pops, ladders, strides, sprint finishers Strength: Hill repeats, power builders, switchbacks Stamina: HIIT, Cruise intervals, tempo waves, Yasso 800s Endurance: Progressive aerobic, negative splits, scenic cruises Fun: Fartlek games, stoplight play, music flow runs Each workout has a warm-up, main set, and cooldown — with clear effort guidance through every phase. AI WORKOUT GENERATOR Tell the AI coach what you want — "30 minutes, hill repeats, moderate" or "a fartlek that doesn't bore me" — and get a runnable workout in seconds. Paste a screenshot of a workout you saw online and we'll convert it into intervals. TRAIN BY EFFORT, NOT NUMBERS Every interval shows a target effort (80% for work, 30% for recovery). No heart rate monitor needed. GPS pace lies anyway — effort just works better. AUTO-LAP BY DISTANCE OR TIME Distance intervals auto-complete when you hit 200m, 400m, 800m, or whatever target you set. Time intervals count down with precision. No fumbling with lap buttons mid-stride. AUDIO & HAPTIC CUES Get notified at interval start, halfway, and end. Works with your screen off, works on Apple Watch. Built for running outside, where you can't keep glancing at a screen. APPLE WATCH COMPANION Run straight from your wrist. Leave your phone behind for track sessions — the Watch app handles everything on its own. CLEAN, GET-OUT-OF-THE-WAY DESIGN Big, glove-friendly controls. Dark mode. One-screen run view with your current interval front and center, and what's next right there too. AFTER YOUR RUN Review every completed interval — distance, time, pace. Auto-syncs to Apple Health. WORKOUT TYPES Tempo: Sustained-effort training Intervals: Structured speed work Fartlek: Mixed-pace playful running Hills: Uphill repeat sessions Long Run: Extended endurance efforts 3 DURATION OPTIONS Quick (10–15 min): Short, sharp sessions Standard (20–35 min): Complete workouts Long (40–60+ min): Extended training WHO IT'S FOR - Runners looking to improve their times - Runners who like variety and fun - Amateur athletes who want to gain leg strength and power - Anyone looking to improve overall fitness and health - Anyone looking to lose weight with HIIT (High-Intensity Interval Training) - Anyone who wants to run intervals without 10 minutes of setup - Anyone tired of complex running apps that feel more like Instagram No social feeds. No data mining. Just running. Terms of use: https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is update cadence: Fartlek at every 4 days against Interval Timer's monthly. Fartlek also leads on iOS requirement (18.5 vs 26.0). On price, ads, in-app purchases and device support there is nothing between them.
Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS
Both are free to download. Interval Timer sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $2.99 per month and Fartlek sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.
Interval Timer ships an update monthly, Fartlek every 4 days. The most recent releases landed on October 22, 2026 and October 19, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Interval Timer | Fartlek |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 4.5 (536 ratings) — better | — |
| Positive reviews | 21.1% of reviews | — |
| Number of ratings | 536 — better | — |
| Update frequency | Monthly | Every 4 days — better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | — |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch — better | iPhone, Apple Watch |
| Requires iOS | 26.0 | 18.5 — better |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 16 MB | 29 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Roma Sosnovsky | Axis SA |
Bugs and requests
Interval Timer
Reported bugs
4 issues- Timer resets or freezes during workout
- Prompts not working when phone is locked or in pocket
- Unexpected interval changes or duration changes
- Compatibility issues with music playback
Requested features
6 requests- Option to pause/resume timer
- Larger time remaining display
- Apple Watch app
- Ability to play audio prompts even with screen off
- More interval options (run/walk/jog)
Show 1 moreShow fewer
- Congratulatory audio cue at the end
Fartlek
Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.
In-app purchases
Interval Timer
- Interval Run Pro Monthly$2.991 Month
- Interval Run Pro Annual7 Days trial$19.991 Year
- Full Version$2.99
Fartlek
- Monthly plan$4.991 Month
- Yearly Premium$29.991 Year
Questions
Is Interval Timer free?
Is Fartlek free?
Do Interval Timer or Fartlek have ads?
Which is updated more often, Interval Timer or Fartlek?
Other comparisons















